Foldable viewer for stereoscopic pictures



R. L. TURNER .FOLDABLE VIEWER FOR STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES Filed Aug. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

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FOLDABLE VIEWER FOR STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES Richard L. Turner, Fort Myers, Fla.

Application August 3, 1954, Serial No. 447,486

3 Claims. (Cl. 88-29) This invention relates to stereoscopes, and more particularly to a foldable viewer for stereoscopic pictures, said viewer being adapted to be folded to a substantially fiat, relative compact package suitable for mailing.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved foldable stereoscope device which is simple in construction, which is inexpensive to fabricate, and which is easy to unfold from its collapsed condition to a position suitable for viewing stereoscopic pictures.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved foldable stereoscope device which is especially suitable for mailing, said device being foldable to a substantially fiat, compact package adapted to contain stereoscopic pictures and lens-carrying elements for use with the device, the device being readily unfolded to operative position and being securely supported in said position so that it may be easily and conveniently handled by the user.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved foldable stereoscope device which is adapted to be folded to a substantially fiat, rectangular package suitable for mailing, the device being attractive in appearance, being sturdy in construction, and being arranged so that it is secured in a substantially rigid manner when set up for use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved foldable stereoscope device which may be fabricated from inexpensive material, such as cardboard, plastic, or the like, the device being especially suitable for mailing, the device being provided with means for supporting it substantially rigidly when it is set up for use and being provided with adjustable lens-carrying members which may be readily positioned in accordnace with the requirements of the user of the device so as to afford optimum viewing efficiency therethrough.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stereoscope device according to the present invention, shown folded and arranged for mailing.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1 partially opened.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device of Figures 1 and 2 shown set up for use as a viewer for stereoscopic pictures.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken nthe line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional detail view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a blank employed for the foldable stereoscope device of Figures 1 to 6.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 3, 4 and 5, showing the device set up for use, the stereoscope device is designated generally at 11 and comprises a rectangular bottom wall 12, a front wall 13, and

nited States Patent a rear wall 14, the front and rear walls being foldably connected to the front and rear edges of the bottom Wall 12, as at the fold lines 15 and 16. The front wall 13 is also provided with a fold line 17 spaced above the fold line 15, and the bottom wall is similarly provided with an additional fold line 18 spaced from the fold line 16, whereby the device may be folded to define a relatively fiat, rectangular package, such as shown in Figure 1, the package being adapted to contain a plurality of stereoscopic pictures 20 and lens-carrying elements 37, 37 as will be presently explained.

As shown in Figure 6, when the device is folded up, as to define the fiat package shown in Figure 1 for malling, or the like, the rear wall 14 overlies the front wall 13, the rear walls 13 and 14 being arranged parallel to the bottom wall 12, as shown in Figure 6, and the stereoscopic pictures 20 being thus housed between the walls 13, 14 and the wall 12 in the manner shown.

The rear wall 14 is provided with respective rectangular side wings 22, 22 which are formed on the short side flaps 23, 23, the side wings 22, 22 being arranged to be disposed in opposing parallel positions perpendicular to the rear wall 14 with their bottom edges engaged on the opposite side edges of the bottom wall 12 in the manner shown in Figure 3, the side wings 22, 22 being slit to form T-shaped tabs 24, 24 having inwardly directed stem portions 25 adapted to engage the side marginal portions of the stereoscopic pictures 20, as shown in Figure 3, to retain the pictures adjacent to the rear wall 14.

The bottom wall 12 is centrally formed adjacent its rear edge with the tab 26 having the enlarged head portion 27 which is engageable through a slit 28 provided in the lower central portion of the rear wall 14, the tab 26 being further provided with a smaller retaining tab 29 which is engageable against the central lower marginal portion of the outermost pictures 20, as shown in Figure 3.

As will be apparent from Figures 3, and 4, the enlarged head portion 27 of the tab 26 extends through the slit 28 and is inclined upwardly and rearwardly relative to the bottom wall 12, the tab 26 providing a support for the stereoscopic pictures 20 and the smaller auxiliary tab 29 acting to secure the pictures 20 against the rear wall 14, as is clearly shown in Figure 4. The tab 26 defines an inclined strut or brace member which rigidly holds the rear wall 14 perpendicular to the bottom wall 12. The stem portions 25 of the T-shaped tab 24 on the rectangular side wings 22, 22 engage the side marginal portions of the pictures 20 and cooperate with the tab element 29 to retain the pictures against the rear wall 14. At the same time, the rectangular side wings 22, 22 further rigidity the rear wall 14 relative to the bottom wall 12 and act to prevent the rear wall 14 from rotating downwardly toward the bottom wall 12 when the device is set up for use, as in Figure 3.

The forward portion of the bottom wall 12 is formed with the respective tabs 30, 30 located adjacent the op- "ice posite side edges of the bottom wall 12, said tabs 30 having the enlarged head portions 31 engageable through horizontal slots 32 formed in the lower portion of the front wall 13, whereby the tabs 30 are lockingly engaged with the lower portion of the front wall 13 and serve to secure said front Wall in perpendicular relation to the bottom wall 12, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

As shown in Figure 3, a nose receiving aperture 34 is centrally formed in the corner defined between the front wall 13 and the bottom wall 12. The front wall 13 is formed with the respective viewing apertures 35, 35 spaced symmetrically with respect to the vertical center line of the front wall, and the front wall 13 is further formed with relatively large horizontal slits 36, 36 located above and below the respective viewing apertures 35. Designated at 37, 37 are respective lens-carrying members which may be formed of sheet material similar lens-carrying members 37 being formed at their top and bottom marginal portions with the respective tabs 38, 38 engageable in the slits 36, 36 associated with each viewing aperture 35. As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the slits 36 are substantially longer than the width of the tabs 38, whereby the lens-carrying members 37 may be adjusted laterally and rotationally relative to the viewing apertures 35.

Each lens-carrying member 37 is formed with the spaced parallel slits 39, 39 located on opposite sides of a viewing opening, the slits 39, 39 being adapted to receive a rectangular lens member 40 which may be thus positioned over the viewing opening in the member 37, the viewing openings being designated respectively at 41, 41. Also, each member 37 has a top projection 50 and a bottom projection 51, such projections being the ends of simulated brushes in the palette.

Since the tabs 38, 38 are substantially resilient, the

lens-carrying members 37 may be adjusted laterally and rotationally as above explained, and likewise may be moved forwardly to adjusted positions relative to the front wall 13, to adjust the lens elements 40 in accordance with the visual requirements of the user of the device. The tabs 38, 38 are frictionally engaged in the slits 36, whereby the desired adjustment of the respective lenscarrying members 37, 37 will be frictionally held after said desired adjustment has been made.

Figure 7 illustrates a blank of cardboard, sheet plastic material, or similar suitable foldable material, which may be employed to form the foldable stereoscope device above described. As above explained, the blank may be folded to define the substantially flat rectangular package illustrated in Figure 1, the package being adapted to contain a plurality of stereoscopic pictures 20, as well as the lens-carrying members 37, 37, as shown in Figure 2, the lens-carrying members 37 being disposed between the side wings 22, 22 when the device is folded to the package of Figure 1.

In order to unfold the device, the package is opened up and the front and rear walls 13 and 14 are disposed at right angles to the bottom wall 12 and secured by means of the tabs 30, 30 and the tab 26 in the manner shown in Figure 3. be engaged over the viewing apertures 35, as above described, namely, by inserting the tabs 38, 38 in their associated slits 36, 36 and adjusting the lens-carrying members 37 to their desired positions, in accordance with the visual requirements of the user. The stereoscope pictures 20 will be supported against the rear wall 14, in the manner above explained, and may be readily viewed through the lenses 40 in the well known mannerx those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

The lens-carrying members 37, 37, may then 4 What is claimed is:

1. A foldable stercoscope device comprising a bottom wall, front and rear walls foldably connected respectively to the front and rear edges of said bottom wall and being adapted to be disposed in upstanding parallel positions, respective side wings foldably connected to the respective side edges of said rear wall and being arranged to be disposed in opposing parallel positions perpendicular to said rear wall with their bottom edges engaged on said bottom wall, respective inwardly extending tabs on said side wings engageable with the side marginal portions of a stereoscopic picture to retain said picture adjacent said rear wall, said front wall being formed with a pair of viewing apertures, and respective inclined securing tabs on said bottom wall lockingly engagcable with said front and rear walls to secure said front and rear walls in said upstanding parallel positions.

2. A foldable stereoscope device comprising a rectangular bottom wall and front and rear walls foldably connected to the front and rear edges of said bottom wall and being foldable in overlapping relation over said bottom wall to define a substantially flat mailable packet adapted to contain stereoscopic pictures, respective inclined tab elements on said bottom wall lockingly eugageable respectively with said front and rear walls to secure said front and rear walls in upstanding parallel relation, respective side wings foldably connected to the respective side edges of said rear wall and being arranged to be disposed in opposing parallel positions perpendicular to said rear wall with their bottom edges engaged on said bottom wall, respective inwardly extending tabs on said side wings engageable with the side marginal portions of a stereoscopic picture to retain said picture adjacent said rear wall, said front wall being formed with a pair of viewing apertures, respective lens members, and interengaging means on said lens members and the portions of said front wall adjacent said viewing apertures arranged to secure said lens members over said apertures.

3. A foldable stereoscope device comprising a rectangular bottom wall and front and rear walls foldably connected to the front and rear edges of said bottom wall and being foldable in overlapping relation over said bottom wall to define a substantially flat, mailable packet adapted to contain stereoscopic pictures, respective inclined tab elements on said bottom wall lockingly engageable respectively with said front and rear walls to secure said front and rear walls in upstanding parallel relation, respective side wings foldably connected to the respective side edges of said rear wall and being arranged to be disposed in opposing parallel positions perpendicular to said rear wall with their bottom edges engaged on said bottom Wall, respective inwardly extending tabs on said side wings engageable with the side marginal portions of a stereoscopic picture to retain said picture adjacent said rear wall, said front wall being formed with a pair of viewing apertures, said front wall being formed with slots adjacent said viewing apertures, respective lens members, and tabs on the marginal portions of said lens members engageable in said slots and arranged to support said lens members over said viewing apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

